Prosthetic heart valve with frames

Abstract

A prosthetic heart valve includes a first frame shaped having metal segments and defines a lumen therethrough. A leaflet frame is coupled to and disposed within the lumen of the first frame. A second frame is configured to be placed against an upstream surface of the native valve. A plurality of prosthetic leaflets are coupled to the leaflet frame and facilitate upstream-to-downstream bloodflow through the prosthetic valve. Fabric couples the first and second frames together in the collapsed and expanded states of the prosthetic valve. In the expanded state of the prosthetic valve, the fabric separates a downstream end of the second frame and an upstream end of the metal segments of the first frame in a manner in which a gap is defined between the first and second frames, with no metallic structure being disposed within the gap. Other embodiments are also described.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A prosthetic heart valve for implantation at a native heart valve of a heart, the prosthetic heart valve configured to assume a collapsed state for transcatheter delivery and an expanded state, the prosthetic heart valve comprising:
 a first frame shaped so as to define metal segments, the first frame defining a lumen therethrough, wherein (i) when the prosthetic heart valve is in the collapsed state, the first frame is in a collapsed state, and (ii) when the prosthetic heart valve is in the expanded state, the first frame is in an expanded state;   a leaflet frame which is coupled to and disposed within the lumen of the first frame in the collapsed state of the prosthetic heart valve;   a second frame configured to be placed against an upstream surface of the native valve;   a plurality of prosthetic leaflets, which are coupled to the leaflet frame, and configured to facilitate upstream-to-downstream bloodflow longitudinally through the prosthetic heart valve; and   fabric that:
 couples the first and second frames together in the collapsed and expanded states of the prosthetic heart valve, and 
 in the expanded state of the prosthetic heart valve, separates a downstream end of the second frame and an upstream end of the metal segments of the first frame in a manner in which a gap is defined between the first frame and the second frame, with no metallic structure being disposed within the gap. 
   
     
     
         2 . The prosthetic heart valve according to  claim 1 , wherein, when the prosthetic heart valve is in the expanded state, the second frame is shaped so as to define upstream peaks and downstream troughs, and wherein the downstream troughs define the downstream end of the second frame. 
     
     
         3 . The prosthetic heart valve according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of anchors extending from the metal segments of the first frame. 
     
     
         4 . The prosthetic heart valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the native heart valve is a native mitral valve, and wherein the second frame is configured to rest against the atrial surface within a left atrium of the heart when the prosthetic heart valve is in the expanded state. 
     
     
         5 . The prosthetic heart valve according to  claim 1 , wherein an upstream end of the second frame is upstream of the upstream end of the metal segments of the first frame. 
     
     
         6 . The prosthetic heart valve according to  claim 5 , wherein the downstream end of the second frame is upstream of the upstream end of the metal segments of the first frame. 
     
     
         7 . The prosthetic heart valve according to  claim 1 , wherein an upstream end of the second frame is upstream of an upstream end of the leaflet frame. 
     
     
         8 . The prosthetic heart valve according to  claim 7 , wherein the downstream end of the second frame is upstream of the upstream end of the leaflet frame. 
     
     
         9 . A system comprising the prosthetic heart valve according to  claim 1 , further comprising a catheter for delivering the prosthetic heart valve, the catheter housing the prosthetic heart valve in the compressed state, with the first frame arranged distally relative to the second frame. 
     
     
         10 . A prosthetic heart valve for implantation at a native heart valve of a heart, the prosthetic heart valve configured to assume a collapsed state for transcatheter delivery and an expanded state, the prosthetic heart valve comprising:
 a first frame shaped so as to define metal segments, the first frame defining a lumen therethrough, wherein (i) when the prosthetic heart valve is in the collapsed state, the first frame is in a collapsed state, and (ii) when the prosthetic heart valve is in the expanded state, the first frame is in an expanded state;   a leaflet frame which is coupled to and disposed within the lumen of the first frame in the collapsed state of the prosthetic heart valve;   a second frame configured to be placed against an upstream surface of the native valve;   a plurality of prosthetic leaflets, which are coupled to the leaflet frame, and configured to facilitate upstream-to-downstream bloodflow longitudinally through the prosthetic heart valve; and   fabric that:
 couples the first and second frames together in the collapsed and expanded states of the prosthetic heart valve, and 
 in the expanded state of the prosthetic heart valve, separates a downstream end of the second frame and an upstream end of the metal segments of the first frame in a manner in which the first frame is coupled to the second frame only via the fabric. 
   
     
     
         11 . The prosthetic heart valve according to  claim 10 , wherein, when the prosthetic heart valve is in the expanded state, the second frame is shaped so as to define upstream peaks and downstream troughs, and wherein the downstream troughs define the downstream end of the second frame. 
     
     
         12 . The prosthetic heart valve according to  claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of anchors extending from the metal segments of the first frame. 
     
     
         13 . The prosthetic heart valve according to  claim 10 , wherein the native heart valve is a native mitral valve, and wherein the second frame is configured to rest against the atrial surface within a left atrium of the heart when the prosthetic heart valve is in the expanded state. 
     
     
         14 . The prosthetic heart valve according to  claim 10 , wherein an upstream end of the second frame is upstream of the upstream end of the metal segments of the first frame. 
     
     
         15 . The prosthetic heart valve according to  claim 14 , wherein the downstream end of the second frame is upstream of the upstream end of the metal segments of the first frame. 
     
     
         16 . The prosthetic heart valve according to  claim 10 , wherein an upstream end of the second frame is upstream of an upstream end of the leaflet frame. 
     
     
         17 . The prosthetic heart valve according to  claim 16 , wherein the downstream end of the second frame is upstream of the upstream end of the leaflet frame. 
     
     
         18 . A system comprising the prosthetic heart valve according to  claim 10 , further comprising a catheter for delivering the prosthetic heart valve, the catheter housing the prosthetic heart valve in the compressed state, with the first frame arranged distally relative to the second frame.